Time recording machine



July 14, 1953 A. l.. sPREcKER TIME RECORDING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June l, 1949 l'NvENToR ALFRED L. PREC/(M jz/lf. 24%/ A G E N T July 14, 1953 A. L. sPRl-:CKER

TIME RECORDING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June l, 1949 INVENTCR ALFRED L. SPA'CR AGEN July 14, 1953 A. l.. sPRr-:CKER 2,645,551

TIME RECORDING MACHINE Filed June 1, 1949 s sheets-sheet s lNvENToR ,4U-Ri L. SPRECKER AGENT A. L. SPRECKER TIME RECORDING MACHINE July 14, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June l, 1949 U INVENTOR ALF/Q50 L. SP'C/(ER WTE-4- AGENT July 14, 1953 A. l.. SPRECKER 2,645,551

TIME RECORDING MACHINE Filed June l, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ALFRED L. SFEC/(ER AGENT 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 This side for OVERTIME on!)l 05e oz//er :fafe for raya/af' fn/e O M4*TU PM4130 INVENTOR ALFRED L. PHC/(/ BY ,I jf, M

AGENT A. L. SPRECKER TIME RECORDING MACHINE ILT. Hmms RATE ,www

c.1'. noms RATE Amour" srrre u.c.

aguas w Teun. oeoucrlous PAY PERIOD ENDING This side JFor' REGULAR TIME only (/5@ omer side for overt/727e MMWMMWWMMW July 14, 1953 Filed June l, 1949 NAME WITH-HOLDING TAX cLAss GOOOOOOOGO mmmmmmmmmm SIGNATURE Patented July 14, 1953 rrIME RECORDING MACHINE Alfred L. Sprecker, Freeport, N. Y.,assignor to International Business' Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 1, 1949, Serial No. 96,472

9 Claims.

rThis invention relates to improvements in time recorders wherein the attendance times of Workers are recorded upon cards.

Brieiiy, the present invention is concerned with an attendance recorder of simplified construction and improved operation having 'automatic means for providing successive registrations upon an attendance record in conformance with a prearranged plan so that the record is accurately printed ina distinct pattern of impressions not subject to willful disnguration or obliteration by the whim of a workman so inclined.

Many conventional attendance time recorders, for example, provide means of registration of an employees coming and going times. a worker registers in at the start of his work day his attendance card shows his starting time printed upon an attendance card. Similarly when a worker finishes his Work period and registers out a second printed registration is impressed upon his card showing his quitting time. When time is taken off for a lunch period similar out and in registrations are made upon the attendance card. The registrations aboveY Thus when noted as to in and out may be said to be"v` the normal authorized registration times, and provisions are made in the recorder to distribute such registrations over the card according to a preconceived arrangement so that theemployees seine establishments attendance recording machines are locked or disabled except at the so called authorized registration times. This practice, however, leads to confusion and dissatisfac- 30 wages may be easily and rapidly computed. In

tion of employee and employer due. to the irregA ular hours normally necessary to be worked in the modern factory or business establishment. Furthermore, late arrivals, those permitted to leave for sickness, those who work special sched-vr ules and shifts, overtime Workers, and many*- others peculiar to the requirements of industrial production must be provided for in the furnishing of accurate attendance records. In order to so provide, various arrangements have been:

made in attendance recorders whereby registra-f"KVV other times is printed in red. Other arrangel" ments provide a shift in the printed position of the attendance registration upon the card to distinguish irregular registrations from the regular 0r1eS- It iS impraticablc i0 provide an indente number of printed colors or suiiicient positions upon an attendance registration card to include each minute of the day; consequently, an employee may accidentally or intentionally overprint a registration upon his cardthereby obliterating the true registration to the detriment of his employer, or o f himself, or both?. One such recording device is shown in U. S. Patent 1,348,218 wherein means is provided so that each registration is made in a different part of the attendance card; consequently, obliteration or interference With the true registration upon the card is eliminated.

In a recorder of the type above mentioned some means is generally provided whereby a perforation is made in the attendance card for each registration wherefrom the next registration may be located. Generally the locating mechanism includes a pin engageable with a perfora- 'ticn in the card so that if the card is manually withdrawn from a recorder so provided` at the time of registration, a mutilated attendance card may result, either accidentally or intentionally.

The present inventionk is an improvement in card time recorders of the type just described. Not only is the present invention an improvement, but also a simplification in attendance recorder apparatus wherein a Worker is unable to obliterate or to mutilate an attendance registration card either by accident or intent. The embodiment of the invention is carried out in a device provided to receive an attendance card by manual insertion into a slot forming a part of a receiver wherein a sensing element is provided to be engageably operated by a perforation in the card. Thesensing element normally controls a contact making lever which, when operated through the continued advance of the inserted card, operates an electromagnet to cause a time registration to be printed at a predetermined position of the card normally referenced from the sensing element. Simultaneously with the printing of the registration a further perforation is also made in the card from which the next time registration may be' referenced when the card is next inserted. Numerous modifications, later described herein, are provided to provide'the initial registration and perforation in the card, to limit the overall registration iield in the card, to provide interlocks for the machines operation, to provide time controlled printing means, and to furnsh program changes in the registrations according to a desired and predetermined schedule. l

The principal object of this invention is to Zi provide an improved time recording machine for registering attendance time upon a card wherein the registration is eiected solely by the insertion of a card whereby the registration is incapable of being obliterated and the card of being mutilated.

.e further object ci this invention is to provide an attendance time recorder oi simplied construction and design.

Other objects or the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best rnode which has been contemplated of applying that principle.

'in the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation View of the machine with a portion of the cover broken away, certain ci the mechanism being omitted from the top part of the machine for purposes of clarity.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of certain of the mechanism shown in Fig. l, together with certain additional components of the top part that are omitted in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation View of the interior of the machine with certain parts removed to illustrate the insertion of a registration card in the card receiver.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation view of the interior f of the machine with certain parts broken away.

Fig. 5 is a top view of the interior of the machine with certain parts removed.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the lines 6 6 of Fie. 5.

Fig. '7 shows an attendance registration card with normal registrations of attendance printed thereon.

Fig. 8 illustrates an attendance registration card wherein overtime registrations have been printed.

Referring to Fig. 1 a card receiver slot IQ is formed between two plates II and I2 extending substantially the length ci the time recorder machine irame and of suicient width (see Fig. 3) and thickness to permit the insertion of a registration card K such as illustrated in Fig. 6. Intei-posed in and along the path of the slot IB, in the order named, are a sensing finger I3, an abutting spring I4, a punch and die assembly I5, a platen I6, a knee toggle I'I, and a projection Ia (or I8?) or Ic, as later explained) upon a slide I9. A card guide 2) leads into the entrance of the receiver slot il).

The ringer I3 is hung by a spring 2l (see Fig. 2) to a ring 22 supported by the machine frame, and is further supported at its slotted portion Ia by a button stud 23. In addition to the provision of a spring support perforation 23h, the iinger i3 has also a shoulder ISC and a right angle projection Id. The spring I4 is fastened to the plate I! by a pair of screws Ilia and bent in such a manner that its tip projects through a hole in the plate II to slightly displace the end of the nger I3 when the latter is in its normal position. Thus it can be seen that the finger I3 is capable of sliding vertically upon the stud 23 against tension of the spring 2! or of being turned about the stud 23 acting as a pivot against the tension of spring 2I.

The punch and die assembly I5 is composed of a punch Ip carried by a bar 24, through which the punch is actuated, and a die Id mounted on the plate l2. Normally the punch Ip is in a retracted position as shown in Figs. l and 2. When actuated the punch I 5p perforates the edge of a registration card K (see Fig. 2) which may be occupying the slot I0 in the location of the assembly I5.

The platen I6 is also carried by the bar 2li by which it is actuated to press against a registration card K occupying the slot IE) through a cut out portion 25 of the plate II (see Fig. 3). Nor-- mally the platen I6 is also in a retracted position (note Fig. 5).

The knee toggle I'I, again referring to Figs. l and 2, is pivoted upon a stud 2E and is capable of turning counterclockwise thereupon limited by its slotted cut I'Ia and a coacting stud 2i iixed to the machine frame. An ear I'Ib is formed upon the lower end of the toggle I'I and a linee Iic is formed on the left side of toggle i?. Normally when no card occupies the slot I@ as in Fig. l the knee I'Ic projects into a recess in plate I l so that the ear I'Ib impinges upon the shoulder I'c and limits the sliding motion of the iinger I3 when it tends to move downwards. When a card K occupies the slot IQ at the recessed portion of plate II as in Fig. 2, however, the toggle Il is cammed by the card to be turned counter-clockwise so that the ear I'Ib no longer engages the shoulder I 3c thus permitting the finger i3 to move downwards.

The slide I9 (see also Fig. 3) is mounted upon plate II by two button screws 28 via two slotted portions iSb. Normally the slide I9 is biased to its upward position by a spring 29 xed to an ear Iic and a stud 30 on the plate II. On its upper end the slide I9 is provided with a bent over projection Ida, at its lower end with a similar' projection Ia, and at its midsection with an extension which carries two other projections it?) and IBC, as shown in Fig. 3. All of these projections are inward through cut away portions of plate II, and all of the projections except Iscr are interposed into the slot ID in such a way as to be encountered by a card which is inserted therein. In other words the slide I9 is operable by the insertion of a registration card K. If the card is of one length, as for example in 3, the slide will be operated by engagement of the card with the projection I8@ in which event the projections I8?) and ISC will be broken ofi to avoid interference with the card. If the card is of a shorter length only the projection idc will be broken off and the slide I9 will be operated by engagement of the card with the projection Ito. For a card of still less length, no projections will be broken off and the slide I9 will be operated by engagement of the card with projection i530.

Referring briefly to Figs. l and 3 it is to be noted that the die I5d opens into a cavity wherein punched out fragments of a card are deposited by the travel of the punch E529. Upon the outside of the plate ii is a confetti container 32 for receiving these fragments, the container being detachably fastened by means of the spring c ips 33 and 34 against the plate II. It is essential that punched out paper fragments are retrieved in some manner so that the working parts of the recorder are not jammed thereby.

Now referring to Figs. l and 2 a slide 35 is hung to the plate I I by a spring 36 connected to a stud 31 in the plate I I and Via the shoulder perforation 35a. rlhe slide 35 is additionally supported via the elongated slots 35h and 'c2-5c by a butte-n stud 38 and by a projection 39a upon a bell crank 38 which is supported by a stud 35] fixed to the side frame of the machine. The bottom of slide 35 normally rests upon a contact operating block :il which when depressed closes a pair of electrical contacts 42 (note also Fig. 4). These conties.

tacts are secured to the plate l2 which also supports via a yoke 43 an electromagnet 44 which is connected electrically in series with the contacts 42 'to a lsuitable source -of electrical supply. The slide 35 is fitted with a step at its upper extremity which cooperates with the projections |9a and l1| 3d as hereinafter described. The bell crank 39 carries an arm 39h which when lifted pivots bell crank 39 counterclockwise causing the projection 39a to move the slide 35 to disengage its upper extremity from either of the projections |9a or |3d if engaged.

A .solenoid plunger 45 is operated to be pulled upwards into the electromagnet 44 whenever the latter is energized. With continued reference to Figs. l and 4, bearings are provided in the side frames at 46 wherein a bearing rod 41 is supported. At each side of the recorder an operating arm 48 and an operating lever 49 are freely journalled at one of their extremities on the bearing rod 41. The other extremities of the levers 49 are fastened to a rod 59 which passes through a bearing 5| in the solenoid plunger 45 so that when the plunger is operated the levers 49 are pivoted clockwise aboutv the rod 41. Near the center of each lever 49 is located a pivot stud 52 which forms a bearing support for a lever 53, there being one such lever onk each side of the machine. A bearing stud 54 on each lever 53 supports the links 55 and 59 at one of their extremi- The other extremity of link 55 is pivotally supported upon a stud 51 on the arm 48 while the other extremity of link 56 is pivotally mounted upon a stud 58 on the side frame. (Norm-The links 55 and 55, and bearing studs 51 and 58 are duplicated on each side of the machine, see Fig. 4.) On the left side of the'machine only, as viewed in Fig. l, the lever 53 is provided with a knock-off tip 53a which coacts to lift the arm 39h. When the solenoid plunger 45 is pulled upwards by the electromagnet 44 the levers 49 rotate clockwise so that the studs 52 are raised thereby lifting the lever 5? and the stud 54 to pivot the link 56 counterclockwise and the link 55 clockwise. The aforesaid motion is all effected against the opposition of the springs 59 which are connected between the links 55 and Xed studs 39 on either side frame of the machine.

When the stud 54 is raised and the links 55 and 5e pivot, the arms 48 are thereby forced to rotate clockwise about the rod 41 so that the tops of these arms move to the right, as shown in Fig. l, or toward the bottom of the sheet, as shown in Fig. 5. At the top end of each arm 43 a bearing pin 5| is inserted by which the yoke end 52a of a pull rod 52 is pivotally connected. Thev opposite ends 62h of the pull rods 52 are `threaded and thereby fastened to the bar which carries both the punch |511` and the platen l5, through bearings 63 mounted upon the side frames and abutting the plate l2 (see Fig. 5). It is apparent from Fig. 5, therefore, that when the tops of the arms 43 move toward the bottom of the sheet the pull rods 62 will operate the bar 24 to pull the platen I6 against a card that may occupy the slot lil and likewise actuate the punch |520 to perforate the card.

Referring now t0 Figs. 2 and 5 an ink ribbon 54 is provided being stored upon spools 55 which are ycarried by the shafts 55 which are mounted in a sub-frame 51 attached to the plate I2. The

- sub-frame 51 also has mounted upon it a shaft E8 upon which suitably geared-together type wheels 99 are journalled which bear upon the ribbon 64 at the location of the platen' I5 vto enable 6 printed impressions to be made upon a card in slot I9.

A synchronous one revolution per minute electrio clock motor 19 (see also Fig. 4) is mounted on the sub frame B1 which has mounted upon its output shaft a cam 1| (see Fig. 2) which opcrates upon a cam follower 12 pivotally mounted upon the shaft 68 which also carries a locking arm 13 which is coupled to the follower 12 via an ear 13a, a spring 14, and a projection 12a. The free end of the arm 12 has pivotally mounted by a stud 12b thereon an operating pawl 15 which is normally held against a stop 15 by a spring 11 connected from the end of the arm 13 to a stud 18. The pawl 15 is adapted to engage the teeth of an advance gear 19, its travel being such that for each throw of the follower 12 the pawl 15 will advance the gear 19 one tooth. The gear 19 is coupled directly to the lowest order (minute) type wheel 69. Hence each time the cam 1| makes one revolution the gear 19 will be advanced one tooth. A small gear 89 also freely mounted on the shaft 68 is directly connected to the gear 19. The gear 89 meshes with a gear 8l fixed on a shaft 32 carried in bearings on the sub-frame 81. and the gear 8| meshes with a gear 83 fixed on a shaft 84 which'is connected with the hands driving gears of a clock indicator 85 mounted upon the top of the sub frame 61. This gearing is arranged to cause a minute handk 85 and an hour hand 81 to indicate the proper time upon the indicator 85.

As shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5 the arm 48 on the left side of the machine (as viewed in Figs. 4 and 5) has an extension 89 attached to arm 43 by two screws 88a. The extension i8 is vprovided with a notched portion which engages an ear 89 upon a plate 99 which is slidably supported upon v the shafts 66 by elongated slots 99a. A second ear 9| upon the plate 99 is connected by a spring 93 and a projection 92a to a 'bell crank 92 pivotally supported by a stud in the sub frame 51. A yoke Shaped bale 94 is pivotally supported by the stud 95 (and a similar stud not shown) and is provided with a projection 94a which is engaged to be operated by a yoked portion of the bell crank 92. Each time the arm 48 is rocked about the bearing rod 41 the plate 99 (which controls the advance of the ribbon 54, the ribbon feed being of conventional pawl and ratchet design not shown) is reciprocated by the extension 39 so that the bell crank 92 is turned counterclockwise by the pull of spring 93 and the bale 94 is rotated counterclockwise. A series of detents 96 having equalizing springs 91 is carried by the bale 94 for engagement with the typewheels 59 to lock them in printing position whenever the plate I5 is operated to effect printing upon an attendance card. An extension 94h on the bale 94 is arranged to engage the locking arm 13 to prevent jamming of the'pawl 15 against the teeth of the ratchet gear 19 in the eventthat the follower 12 drops orf the cam 1| at the instant that the solenoid plunger 45 is actuated.

Now referring to Figs. 2 and 4, a lever 98 is pivotally mounted at one end upon a stud 99 the sub frame 51. Normally each time the follower 12 encounters the high point of the cai-n 1| a spring |99 mounted on the top of the follower 12 tends to force the lever 98 downwards (as viewed in Fig. 2). An arm HH is rigidly attached to the lever 98. Connected to the end of arm |9| is a bale i 92 extending at right angles therefrom across the faces of all of the ytype wheels 69 above the bale 94. A bale |94 is also .carried by the follower I2, the bale H24 being parallel and above the bale HG2. The bales E02 and 04 are supported at each end in a similar fashion (not shown) and an extension 53 on the bale H32 is arranged to control a pivoted pawl carried by the bale its, similar to the pawl T5, so that the nrst said pawl is normally lifted away from engagement with the ratchet gear 205 over which it exercises control in a similar manner to that of pawl I5 over the gear '19. Whenever the lever is lowered (rotated about stud 99 in a Clockwise direction) the gear ESS is advanced by its pawl one tooth for each revolution of the cam ii. A type wheel SSE is directly fixed to the gear t5 so that for each alternate advance of the gear [t5 by the aforesaid pawl an asterisk will be presented to the printing position under the platen 1S by the type wheel ESS. Normally the tip 98d of the lever 9S rests upon the peripheries of a pair of discs E07 and i ,iournalled on bearings niounted on a shaft E69. The disc iii? is directly fixed to a large gear HS (see also Fig. 6) and the disc is connected by a bushing to another large gear iii. rIhe shaft 82 carries a pinion H2 which meshes with the gear iii. The shaft 52 also carries two single-toothed gears i i3 and i i4- having their single teeth displaced '180 degrees, each of the gears i i3 and lill alternately meshing with a Geneva gear 55, the gear H5 having the teeth in each half staggered or offset. The gear l i5 is pinned to a shaft E i5 journalled in a bearing il? attached to the sub frame 5l'. The shaft l it also has a gear i i8 affixed which meshes with the large gear l lil.

The discs ISI and H33 are each provided with a plurality of preformed knock-outs in their peripheries and the gear ratio of the gears il, iii, H2, H3, iid, H5, and H8 are chosen ac cordingly so that by breaking out knock-outs" such as H9 and iZi in the discs Hi8 and il respectively, the tip 95a of the lever 2% will be enabled to drop into the composite slot thus provided as the broken out knock-outs in the two discs match. Consequently, thereafter, when the high point of the cam 'H is next encountered by the follower 12, the bale 62 will be lowered and its extension HES will no longer hold up the pawl which provides operation for the ratchet gear Eto and the type wheel 95 so that a change or character will then be printed in the next registration recorded by the machine at the printing position occupied by type wheel This character change may be used to indicate whether the registration has been made during the normal authorized. registration periods. For example, see the registration in the card K of l wherein the registration DN TU Alvi 12:90 is during a regular period, thereafter a change .in the program discs occurs, as described immediately above, following which the registration Dbl TU PM 1:02 is made. In this instance the indicates that the registration was Inade in an oif schedule or unauthorized period.

The automatic operation of the machine upon the insertion of an attendance card is as follows: With reference to Figs. l, 2, 3, and 7 a card K is inserted into the slot ifi. Let it be assumed that the card has no previous registration upon Iit and that it is of the maximum length usable 1n the machine so that the projections ith and 28o have been broken off. As the card K is inserted in the slot El! the tip i419 of spring Ell is camined away from the card and the nger I3 bears against the other side of the card seeking to engage a perforation in the card. Since there are no perforations in this card at the moment, the card enters deeper into the machine camming the knee llc of the toggle l'! aside and finally cornes to rest with its leading edge upon the projection 18a of the slide i9. A further travel of the card K causes the slide E9 to move downward so that its projection Hic impinges upon the lower step of the top of slide 35 which is also moved downward against the block 4i thereby closing the contacts 42, A suitable electric power supply having been connected to the electromagnet 44 and contacts 42 leads, the electromagnet 44 is thereby energized and the solenoid plunger 45 is thereby actuated .so that the bar 24 is operated via pull-rods 62, arms 43, links and 56, levers 53 and 49, and the rod 50, as previously described. A registration will therefore be printed, as at the top registration in the card K of Fig. '7 by the platen i6 forcing the card against the ribbon 64 backed up by the type wheels 69 and IGS. Simultaneously the punch l5@ is forced through the card K against the die 55d and a perforation is made to the left of the printed impression as in the top registration of the card of Fig. 7. At the time that the solenoid plunger A5 operates to move the lever 53 upwards as previously described, the tip 53a lifts the 39h thereby causing the slide 35 to be cammed from under the projection 59a of slide it, so that the slide 35 rises under the bias of spring 35 and the contacts 42 open deenergizing the electromagnet 44 and returning the punch. platen, pullrods, arms 48, and the associated link.. ages and levers to their normal positions under the bias of the springs 59. The card is then withdrawn and the slide 9 returns to its normal position urged by the spring 29.

Let it now be assumed that the card K is again inserted into the slot IQ in the same manner as before. Again the tip i419 of spring i4 is cammed away from the card and the finger E3 bears ,gainst the other side of the card seeking to engage a perforation. As the card travels deeper into the machine the toggle I1 is camined aside as before and the perforation previously punched is now encountered by the finger I3 which enters thereinto and is forced downward so that its projection i3d impinges upon the top step of the top of the slide 35 which is again forced downward, as before, closing the contacts 4-2. Printing punching operations are thereby effected as before; however, the registration is made in a position below the top registration of the card in Fig. 7. In a like manner as before the tip 53a of the lever 53 cams the slide 35 out from under the projection i3d releasing the slide 35 and opening the contacts 42.

Let it now be presumed that a registration has been made in the card K of Fig. 7 in the location of the dash line X-X, and that the card is inserted into the slot I0 of the machine as before. As in the last mentioned instance the finger i3 will engage and enter the perforation thereby being forced down as before. In this instance however, there is insuicient distance between the leading edge of the card K and the perforation (registration) along the line X--X so that the knee l'lc is not encountered by the card to cam the toggle I1 out of the way. Hence the shoulder |30 engages the ear l 1b of the toggle l l and the downward travel of finger i 3 is halted; consequently, no printing or punching results and no registration is made upon the card. In this manner the registration field of the card is determined and contained within the proper limits of the card.

Fig. 8` illustrates registrations upon the reverse side of the card K correspond-ing to overtime registrations. Since the nger I3 encounters the card only along one longitudinal edge, the regular and overtime attendan-ce registrations do not interfere With each other.

In the present invention as illustrated and described above, it is obvious that overprinting cannot` occur. Furthermore it is equally obvious that since the punching operation is under thev control of an electromagnet which operates the punch at very high speed and is automatically'deenergized by its own operating linkages, i.e., the tip 53a, the arm 39h, and the slide 35, it is impracticable for one registering a cardinthe embodiment hereinillustrated4 to mutilate or deface an attendance card in the machine itself. Consequently a Very reliable and fool-proof registration device is provided.

While. there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it Willbe understood that Various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the apparatus illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, Without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is theintention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What. is claimed is:

l. Ina time recording machine for attendance cards the combination of means for receiving a card inserted thereinto and for guiding it along a predetermined path, printing means disposed along the said path, perforating means disposed along the said path coacting with the said printing means, means for simultaneously operating the said printing means and perforating means, means disposed in the said path for engaging a perforation previously madeV in the said card for relocating the card in said path, means under control of the said engaging means for actuating the said operating means, and means interposed in the said path operable by the said card for l disabling the said engaging means.

2. In a time recording machine for attendance cards the combination of means for receiving a card inserted thereinto and for guiding it along a predetermined path, a series of type Wheels carrying time indicating characters adjacent the said path, an ink ribbon interposed between the said characters and the said path, a movable platen disposed along the saidpath correlatively with the said characters and operable to force the said card against the said ribbon and the said characters to be printed, means for perforating the said card disposed along the said path, the said perforating means coacting with the said platen, means for simultaneously operating the said platen and the said perforating means, means disposed in the said path for engaging a perforation previously made in the card to relocate and to control the operation of the said perforating and printing means, means under -control of the said engaging means for actuating the said operating means, and means interposed in the said path operable by the said means, means for simultaneously operating the said printing means and perforating means; means disposed in the said path for engaging a perforation previously made in the said card for relocating the card in the said path, means under control cf the said engaging means for actuating the said operating means, and means interposed in the said path normally restraining the said" engaging means, the said interposingmeans being card operated to release the said engaging means.

In a timeI recording machine for attendance ca-rdsyth'e combination of means for receiving a card inserted thereinto and for guiding it along a predetermined path, a series of type Wheels carrying time indicating characters adjacentthe said path and an ink ribbon interposed between the 4said characters andthe said path, a movable platen disposed along said path, correlatively with the said characters and operable to force the said card against the said ribbon and the said chara-cter to be printed, means for perforating the said cardY disposed along the said path, the said perforating means coacting With the said platen, means for simultaneously operating the said vplaten and the said perforating means, means disposed in the said path for engaging a perforation previously made in theV card to relocate and to control the operation of the perforating and printing means, means under control of said engaging means for actuating the said operating means, and means interposed in theI said path normally restraining the said engaging means, the said interposed means being card operated to release the said engaging means.

5. In a time recording machine for attendance cards the combination of means for receiving a card inserrted thereinto and for guiding it along a predetermined path, printing means disposed along the saidV path, perforating means disposed along the said path coacting with the said printing means, means for simultaneously operating the said printing means and perforating means, means disposed in the said path for engaging a perforation previously made in the said card for relocating the card in said path, means under control of the said engaging means for actuating the said operating means, means interposed in the said path operable by the said card for disabling the said engaging means, and means under control of said operating means for interrupting the said actuating means to prevent immediate reoperation of the said operating means.

6. In a time recording machine for attendance cards the combination of means for receiving a card inserted thereinto `and for guiding it along a predetermined path, a series of type wheels carrying time indicating characters adjacent the said path, an ink ribbon interposed between the said characters and the said path, a movable platen disposed along the said path correlatively with the said characters and operable to force the said card against the said ribbon and the said characters to be printed, means for perforating the said card disposed along the said path, the said perforating means coacting with the said platen, means for simultaneously operating the said platen and the said perforating means, means disposed in the saidpath for engaging a perforation previously made in the card to relocate and to control the operation of the perforating and printing means, means under control of the said engaging means for actuating the said operating means, means interposed in 11 the said path operable by the said card for disabling the said engaging means, and means under control of said operating means for interrupting the said actuating means to prevent im mediate re-operation of the said operating means.

7. An attendance time recorder comprising a card receiver into which an attendance card may be inserted and guided along a predetermined path, printing and perforating means disposed along the said path for affecting the said card, a solenoid for simultaneously operating the printing and perforating means, a finger disposed in the said path operable by engaging a perforation in the said card, a spring controlled by said card normally controlling the said card finger in the said path, a slide coacting with the said finger, a switch for controlling the said solenoid, said switch being operable by the said slide, and a toggle disposed in the said path normally restraining operation of the said finger the said toggle being operated by the said card to release the said finger.

8. An attendance time recorder comprising a card receiver into which an attendance card may be inserted and guided along a predetermined path, printing and perforating means disposed along the said path for affecting the said card, a solenoid for simultaneously operating the printing and perforating means, a finger disposed in the said path operable by engaging a perforation in the said card, a spring controlled by said card normally controlling the said card finger in the said path, a slide coacting with the said finger, a switch for controlling the said solenoid, said switch being operable by the said slide, a toggle disposed in the said path normally restraining operation of the said finger, the said toggle being operated by the said card to release the said nger, and a bell crank con- 12 trolled by said solenoid for disengaging the said slide from the said finger to prevent re-operation of said solenoid.

9. An attendance time recorder comprising a card receiver into which an attendance card may be inserted and guided along a predetermined path, printing and perforating means disposed along the said path for affecting the said card, a solenoid for simultaneouly operating the printing and perforating means, a iinger disposed in the said path operable by engaging a perforation in the said card, a spring controlled by said card normally controlling the said card finger in the said path, a slide coacting with the said finger, a switch for controlling the said solenoid, said switch being operable by the said slide, a toggle disposed in the said path normally restraining operation of the said finger, the said toggle being operated by the said card to release the said finger, and a card slide engageable by the edge of said card cooperating with the said slide to operate the said switch when no perforation is engaged by the said nger.

ALFRED L. SPRECKER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,629,078 Kiely May 17, 1927 1,664,523 Miles Apr. 3, 1928 2,171,167 Streckfuss Aug. 29, 1939 2,501,904 Jonsson Mar. 28, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 589,653 Great Britain June 26, 1947 

